Flat multiconductor cables, in which a flat electric conductor is contained in a thin film of electric insulation, have been known for many years. When a power distribution system is formed from a plurality of these cables, it is necessary to electrically connect conductors of adjoining cables in the system.
One known technique for electrically connecting a pair of flat multiconductor cables is disclosed in Bunnell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,430. The technique described and illustrated in the Bunnell et al. patent involves providing a connector which includes an elongated strip of sheet metal. Each end of the elongated strip has a crimp portion. One crimp portion is crimped onto a conductor of one of the cables, the other crimp portion being crimped onto a corresponding conductor of the other cable. Thus, two crimping operations must be performed to electrically connect each pair of corresponding conductors. Duplication of the crimping operation is undesirable because it can result in increased installation time and costs.
Furthermore, the crimp portions do not pierce the conductors but rather are designed so as to embrace the conductor on one side thereof, scrape insulation from the other side of the conductor, and then contact the exposed portion of the conductor. Three separate tools are required to carry out the embracing, scraping and contacting steps. The provision of three tools may also increase installation time and costs.
The crimping technique of the Bunnell et al. patent also requires the use of at least two different types of connectors, whenever the distribution system includes both butt splices and tap splices. The provision of different types of connectors may increase manufacturing costs as well as installation time and costs.
When making a tap splice in accordance with the technique of the Bunnell et al. patent, at least one of the connectors traverses all of the conductors in one of the cables. If the edges of the connector were to pierce the insulation covering the conductors, the connector could inadvertently contact the wrong conductor.